Chery says its Stockman diesel plug-in hybrid ute remains on schedule for an Australian arrival in February 2027, with customer deliveries planned from February 1. The company reaffirmed that target after opening reservations on October 1; an earlier forecast had pointed to late 2026. Chery may need to build vehicles in January to meet the delivery timetable, and Australian pricing has not been announced.
The next phase of testing will concentrate largely on local calibration of the driver-assistance systems and electric power steering. Test vehicles were sent to Australia in September, with further-developed examples expected at the end of October and in mid-November for evaluation. Chery says feedback can be used to adjust software, and some changes may also be delivered to owners through dealership updates. Steering feel and braking response are being adapted to Australian preferences, while work on leaf springs and shock absorbers will help refine the ute’s ride. Australian engineering firm Premcar is involved in local road, handling and off-road testing.
Preliminary specifications include a 2.5-litre turbo-diesel four-cylinder engine, a 34kWh battery, combined outputs of 350kW and 800Nm, and a claimed 96km of electric range on the WLTC cycle. Chery plans to follow the diesel model with a petrol PHEV version in the second half of 2027. The Stockman is expected to be Australia’s first diesel PHEV ute, entering a field that includes petrol plug-in hybrid pickups such as the Ford Ranger Hybrid, BYD Shark 6 and GWM Cannon Alpha PHEV. GWM is also developing a diesel PHEV powertrain.